David Ben-Gurion: "I Understand the Arab Position"

Excerpt from Ben-Gurion's discussion with Tewfik Toubi taken from a website I found (I hope it's authentic):

Ben-Gurion: I didn’t try to explain all the problems to you . . . but I’m

willing, if you’re interested, to continue the conversation in other directions

. . . because it’s very important to me that Arabs understand [us]—even

if they don’t accept my position. I see some things [you] can’t agree with.

Just as I don’t agree with your views . . . It is hard for an Arab to fathom

the Jewish position. I understand this. When I spoke with Arabs, the first

thing I told them was that I understand the Arab position. Before the

establishment of the state, I once stated in the Zionist Executive that talks

with the Arabs demanded only those people who have two qualities: no

Jewish inferiority complex (many Jews [suffer from this]), and second, that

they understand the Arab position as [the Arabs] understand it. Whoever

cannot grasp that, shouldn’t speak. I understand the Arab position. Not

only the position of our [Israeli] Arabs, but of Arabs much [more hostile] to

us than you. I perceive this. And it is very natural that Arabs should think:

what do these Jews want here? What do they want from this country? We

have been here for twelve hundred years. I can understand this.